News headlines
Hong Kong: UN rights chief voices concern over ‘draconian’ laws, in wake of deadly apartment fire
- UN News
UN human rights chief Volker Türk has voiced concern over reports that “draconian security laws” in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China are being used to clampdown on people calling for a probe into the deadly fire at an apartment complex last month.
Ukraine faces freezing winter under fire as UN warns of rising civilian toll
- UN News
With temperatures plunging below freezing and cities facing long, daily power cuts, Ukrainian civilians are again bracing for winter under fire, as UN officials warned the Security Council that intensified attacks on energy infrastructure and shrinking aid budgets are taking a major toll.
UN seeks $1 billion for ‘first-responder fund’ in emergencies
- UN News
Countries rallied at UN Headquarters on Tuesday to shore up a key humanitarian fund that provides timely assistance for millions worldwide when conflict and climate-related disasters strike.
‘All we want for Sudan is peace’ say children fleeing violence
- UN News
Nahed was visiting Sudan’s capital Khartoum with her family to celebrate Eid, a major Islamic holiday, when the war broke out between the rival armies vying for control of her homeland.
Security Council LIVE: Ambassadors meet over rising civilian deaths in Ukraine
- UN News
The Security Council is meeting in New York for a high-stakes briefing on Ukraine, called by six members amid rising civilian casualties and renewed strikes on energy infrastructure as winter sets in. Top officials and a civil society representative are set to brief, alongside interventions from Ukraine, regional neighbours and the EU. It comes as Washington’s 28-point peace proposal is being revised following pushback from Kyiv and European allies, and after talks in Moscow and Florida failed to deliver concrete progress. Today’s meeting will gauge where diplomacy stands. Follow live below and UN News app users can click here. For in-depth meetings coverage, go here.
Gaza’s babies ‘scarred by war before first breath’ by malnutrition
- UN News
Mothers who’ve been left starving in Gaza are now giving birth to underweight or premature babies who die in intensive care units or struggle to survive as they endure acute malnutrition, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) warned on Tuesday.
Ukraine civilians face escalating attacks and mounting hardship, UN warns
- UN News
Civilians in Ukraine are facing almost daily attacks and growing hardship as Russia’s full-scale invasion approaches the four-year mark, UN human rights investigators said in a new report issued on Tuesday.
Farmers Earn While Reviving Native Forests Through a Blockchain-Powered App
- Inter Press Service
SIAYA, Kenya , December 8 (IPS) - For years, Morris Onyango had been trying to reforest his degraded land on the shores of River Nzoia, in Siaya county, 430 kilometers from Kenya’s Capital, Nairobi. But every time he planted trees on his farm, his efforts bore little fruit, as floodwaters would not only wash away his tree seedlings but also fertile topsoil on his land.
The New Fragility: Peacebuilding Meets Digital Democracy
- Inter Press Service
Established democracies are exhibiting governance stresses that were once associated primarily with fragile and conflict-affected states. Polarisation is weakening institutional trust, fragmenting civic norms, and reducing societies’ ability to solve problems collectively. This is the new fragility. At the same time, governments and civil society organisations are adopting digital tools to support public participation. These deliberative technologies hold real promise, but in polarised environments they also carry risks. Their success depends on the same principles that have guided peacebuilding efforts for decades.
Africa’s Industrial Future is Within Reach: What we Need now is Intentional Investment
- Inter Press Service
VIENNA, Austria, December 8 (IPS) - Africa enters 2025 at a pivotal moment in its development. The ambition to transform the continent’s economies through sustainable industrialization, regional integration, and innovation is clearer than ever, and is picking up pace. The foundations are being laid. Industrial strategies are expanding, regional integration is progressing, infrastructure projects are advancing, and a young, dynamic private sector powers local economies.
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